


I don't want to know about your new man

by ithinkiloveyoubetternow



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Light Jealousy, M/M, Pining, Summer
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-19
Updated: 2017-06-19
Packaged: 2018-10-18 14:10:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10618563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ithinkiloveyoubetternow/pseuds/ithinkiloveyoubetternow
Summary: A look at the frogs' summers. Chowder is feeling lonely in Cali. Dex is tutoring some dude named Darren. And Nursey? He's doing just fine in New York. Okay, he might be pining a little.





	1. Summer heat

**Author's Note:**

> All spelling mistakes are my own (Please let me know if you spot any?)  
> Characters belong to Ngozi;  
> Title from Ed Sheeran - New Man

The city felt pregnant with summer. The sweltering heat just building and building until it felt like they were all stuck inside a giant hot air balloon. When he was younger, Nursey had often imagined that he’d wake up one morning to find that they’d all been lifted up during the night. A whole city swaying in the sky, held up by the heat generated by all those people. He remembered how he’d made his mom laugh with that story. If he closed his eyes, he could still see how sweetly her eyes had crinkled in delight.

Nursey wiped his forehead, praying for some wind. All around him people were chatting away happily about the new hipster vegan ice-cream place. It had just opened up around the corner from his place. He was surrounded by like-minded people. Finally free from school obligations for the summer. Munching on some green tea ice-cream. He was completely in his element. He should be happy. But he wasn’t. Nursey sighed.

He’d skyped with Dex and Chowder that morning for their weekly round-up. They had started doing that a couple of times a week into their summer. Chowder had been home alone for a week and had been going a bit stir-crazy, so he had asked them to update him on their weeks just to have something to do.

Nursey had to admit he missed his best bros too. After just a week. It felt strange to miss people that much. He kind of liked it. He had had some friends at Andover, but none of them were ever available during the summer time. Young Derek had soon learned how to be okay with being alone. Not that he had been alone all the time. His mom always made sure to make some time for him in the evenings almost every day. His sister hung out with him when she was not at camp. However, he still spent the majority of his days with no other company besides his own thoughts.

To this day, he still had a weird relationship with summer. On the one hand, it gave him the chance to chill out and hang around the city like he used to. On the other hand, it forced him to admit that none of his summers had ever been that great when he was just chilling by himself. It got boring really quickly. It’s not because you’re not opposed to hanging out by yourself that it is the preferable option for two months straight. He had always felt like summers were over glorified. Yeah sure, people seemed to be having fun, but he couldn’t be the only one who had had a taste of that peculiar cocktail of sweat-salty nights and the bitter taste of summer depression. Right? He wasn’t sure if he should bring that up in the chat. He didn’t want to bring down their vibe.

Even though Dex hadn’t mentioned it, Nursey assumed that he missed them too. A bit. Probably. He hadn’t missed a skype session yet, so there was that. They had become close friends this year, to the absolute relief of Chowder. The conversations they had had at the beginning of the semester were painful and not particularly fun for both of them, but it had been necessary. Nursey would not allow his walls down for anyone who wouldn’t make any effort in understanding him. He just couldn’t do that to himself. He was glad for his friends, though. If you had told him a year ago that of all people, he would miss Poindexter the most during his break. Well, he probably would have said something infuriatingly chill and then just walked out of the room. But now. He sighed again, stirring the rest of his ice cream that had melted into a complete goo while he’d been daydreaming. He really fucking missed him.

On that particular morning, Dex had gone on and on about some dude that he was tutoring for the summer. The dude in question was going to have to take some coding classes next year and was freaking out about it. Dex’s mom had thought it a great idea for Dex to earn some extra money. She taught to kids that weren’t exactly Andover rich, but still ‘pretty fucking loaded’ as Dex put it. Dex’s mom had a real eye for opportunity and the guy’s sister was in her class.

Apparently, his name was Darren. Nursey thought he sounded like a douche. But Dex. Loved. Him. He couldn’t stop smiling through their entire conversation. It was a bit unnerving. Nursey was glad Chowder was there to ask all the right questions. He had just sat there and listened as Dex went to great lengths to describe him. The dude had made quite the impression on his best friend, just like Nursey had in his first year. Only, much _much_ more positive. It just didn’t sit right with him, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on why it was making him feel so off. Maybe because they hadn't hit it off so smoothly when they first met. Maybe Darren just reminded him how much effort it had cost for Dex and Nursey to be friends.

He closed his eyes. Tried to recall his mom’s smile again. That usually helped to ground him. When that didn’t help, he decided to head home. His ice cream was almost gone anyway. At least there’d be some fucking air-conditioning at home.


	2. 42

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nursey has a chat with his mom.

The next night, after he had cooked dinner with his mom, they were lying across the couch together. Nursey thought his mom looked like a painting, stretched out with her hands dangling off the couch and her eyes closed.

“What’s on your mind honey?” She kept her eyes closed.

“Oh, nothing much. Just trying to figure out the answer to life, the universe and everything” Nursey joked. He felt more settled than he had all day.

“Hah. Well, let me know when you find it. I wouldn’t mind having some answers either.” A smile bloomed at the corners of her mouth. A short pause.” Have you found the answer to my question from this morning?” No more smiling, but she hadn’t opened her eyes yet.

“Huh? Oh, what I’m going to do with my summer you mean?” Nursey tried to play it nonchalant. He knew his mom was on to him. As much as he had tried to hide it, she had noticed his sour mood the previous night. This morning she had called him for breakfast. She’d made pancakes, his favorite. Although she hadn’t gone right out and said it, Nursey knew that she was worried about him. He hated worrying her.

“Mmm. I really don’t think sitting here home alone all day is doing your head much good.”

Nursey sighed. No use in denying it, she knew him too well. “You might be right, mama. I might try for a job at the new ice-cream place on the corner?”

“You do what you want, baby. I just want you to be happy.” She finally opened her eyes and reached over so she could take his hand. He squeezed it, silently thanking her for not making it a thing. “Alright, what movie are we watching tonight?” she asked. “I spent all day in the company of ‘serious, hard-working businessmen’”. She used a silly low voice and mimed the suits they were wearing. “I need something fun to turn this day around.”

Nursey laughed. “Let’s see what I have in my queue. Ooh, it’s been a while since I saw MIB?” He turned to her with puppy eyes.

“Fine, but you’re not allowed to complain when I make fun of it.”

“Deal.” Nursey didn’t mind. His mom’s impressions were hilarious.

They settled in with a plate of cookies and some tea, as was their tradition. As promised, his mom kept up a constant stream of ridicule, but Nursey knew it was in good faith. He was having such a good time that he had only been tempted to look at his phone twice, seeing if Dex had posted anything new in group chat yet. He knew if he posted about Darren again, it would probably unsettle him. But he just couldn’t help it. He needed to know what was going on with his friend. Curiosity was its own special form of torture for Nursey.

His mom shook him out of his revelry. “Hey baby?” He hummed in acknowledgement. “You know, there is another option for getting out of the house if you’d like.” She took his hand again. “I heard from your father this morning. He’s summering in Maine this next month and he was wondering if you wanted to join them?”

Nursey didn’t say anything for a while. He knew his mom would give him some time to think it over. His relationship with his dad hadn’t always been the best. When he had left his mom all those years, Nursey had took it hard. A 7 year old can’t grasp the hard work that goes into saving a marriage. Now, he could understand why the divorce had been for the best. For both his dad and his mom. They were much happier now. It had taken them some time, and for the sake of Nursey and his sister Safiya they had remained civil, but now they called each other at least once a week to exchange pleasantries. Nursey thought about it. He saw his dad more frequently now, but never for very long. A vacation with him and his new family might be good for them. It might also prove too much for them and Nursey really didn’t want to mess with what they had right now.

“I’ll think about it.” was all he said. His mom nodded, and they returned to their movie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little bit of a filler, sorry! I have been horribly neglecting this story and I needed to continue it now before I gave up on it completely (and hey, I have the next chapter half-written already!)

**Author's Note:**

> What do you think, does this sound interesting? I just needed to get something out there, because I just keep starting new ideas and then I do nothing with them -_-  
> Feedback is always welcome! Feel free to point out mistakes, I won't bite :)


End file.
